Bedrail



Feb. 16, 1943. v v @Usern 2,311,537

y BED RAIL Filed March 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Feb. 16, 1943UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE BEDRAIL Vincent GiuseL South Orange, N. J.

Application March 23, 1940, Serial No. 325,523

3 Claims.

This invention relates to beds. In one of its more specific aspects theinvention is directed to novel bed posts, bed rails, and connectorsadapted to be employed as a unit part of a wooden or like type ofbedstead.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved bedsteadof sturdy construction and one which will have a long life under normaluse conditions.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved rail for abedstead, which rail may be manufactured and assembled at a reasonablecost, which rail is rugged and may be easily and readily combined withthe novel bed pests to provide a sturdy and long-life bedstead.

Another object of my invention is to provide a more rugged bed post.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel connecting devicefor securing the bed rail to the posts and which may act as a springsupport.

These and other objects of the invention will be readily apparent fromthe following description and drawings, wherein,

Figure l represents a perspective view of the novel connector and springsupport.

Figure 2 represents a cross-sectional view of a portion of a bed pestand sho-ws the novel anchoring means for securing a bed rail to thepost.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 represents an inside plan view of the unitary assembly andillustrates the combination of bed post and rail connected.

Figure 5 is a modication of the structure as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional View taken on line 5 6 of Figure 5.

Figure 'l is a perspective view of the rigid rail shown in Figure 5.

As shown in Figures 1-4 the invention comprises a bed including four bedposts, only two of which are shown and bear the reference numeral III.As shown in Figures 2 and 4, there are a pair of supporting pins or rodsII spaced from each other and extending into the bed posts I to whichthey are secured by retaining pins I2. The supporting pins or rods haveone end located in the posts I0, and the other or free end extendingoutwardly beyond the normal inner faces thereof. The outer ends of thesupporting rods II are threaded at I4 and the outer extremity thereof isin the form of an enlargement or head I3. Threaded on the threadedportion I4 of pins II are nuts I which may not be removed from pins IIbecause of the abutting head I3. lIhe depth of each nut I5 is preferablygreater than the length of the threaded portion I4 so that the innerpart of threaded portion I4 is always protected from mutilation. Iprefer that the body of the nut I5 be the only threaded part of nut I5and the length of the threaded part of nut I5 be approximately equal tothe length of the threaded portion I4.

It is also preferable that the nut I5 including protective and leadingextensions I6 and II whose internal diameters are respectively greaterthan the diameter of threaded portion I4 and head I3, be employed. Theexternal portio-n cf each extension is tapered downwardly outward as anaid in the mounting and demounting procedure, as hereinafter described.These exten-- sions serve to protect at all times the threaded portionI4 from mutilation. The diameter of the unthreaded part of pin I I isless than that of the threaded part I4 so that the nut l5 can be screwedup on the threaded part I4.

The novel bed rail, as shown in Figure 4, comprises an ordinary woodenrail 20 having a slot at-each end. The slot extends from the lower andouter end faces of the rail inwardly and upwardly a sufficient distanceto accommodate the novel connector shown in Figure l. The connector ispreferably composed of metal and is rigid. As shown it comprises a flatplate 2I having a pair of spaced openings 22 through the thicknessthereof. Secured to the vertical edge of said plate by welding or anyother means is a rectangular flat plate 23 having a pair of inverted keyhole openings, with each opening comprising a large opening 24 whosediameter is slightly greater than the largest wdthwise externaldimension of nuts I5, and a small opening 25 communicating with thelarge opening, with the width of the small opening 25 being slightlygreater than the diameter of supporting rods or pins I I. Secured bywelding or in another manner to the bottom edge of plate 2l and to thebottom edge of plate 23 is a flat spring supporting plate 26 disposed atright angles to plates 2I and 23. The connector may be a cast ormachined single element, if desired.

The connector may be secured to the rail 2U. by inserting the plate 2Iof each of the connectors into the slots at the ends of the rail 20 sothat the inner faces of the plates 23 are flush with the outermost facesof rail 2@ and the plate 26 is flush with the lower face of rail 22.Wooden screws 2'I are screwed into the rail 20, starting at the innerface thereof, and pass through openings 22 of plate 2l, to firmly securethe rail 20 to the connector. With this assembly of rail 2D having aconnector, as shown in Figure 1, rigidly secured to each end thereof, itis a relatively simple matter to assemble the bed-stead.

In order to assemble the combination bed rail 20 with a connecter ateach end tc a pair of the novel bed posts Il), thev assembly ismanipulated until the openings 24 are coincidental with the retainingnuts I5. Then the assembly is pushed towards a post I9 whereupon theouter guide I 'I guides the connector and the connector slides over thenut I5 and guide I6, then drops down onto that portion of the pinsbetween the free end of guide I6 and post I3. The connector comes torest with the pins located in the small openings 25. The nuts l5 areturned and move towards the connector to force the plate 23 flushagainst the inner flat side of post Il). The other post is connected tothe connector at the other end of rail in the same manner. In thisconstruction, the bed posts and rails are rigidly secured together andthere is no danger of bed post splitting and in addition the plate 26forms a steady spring or slat support. In order to demount the railassembly from the bed posts, all that one need do is to unloosen thenuts I5, raise the assembly and pull the nuts through the openings 24.

Instead of the rail assembly heretofore described, I may employ a rail`assembly comprising a rigid rail and connector unitary structure 2-3having a masking rail 23, with or without supporting means 39cooperating with the masking rail 29 to insure the ybest functioning ofthese parts, to prevent distortion and to firmly and securely couplethese parts to each other.

The rigid rail and connector unitary assembly may be a single element ofmetallic composition, such as cast iron, brass or the like and comprisesan] elongated andA somewhat narrow and rigid elongated iiat plate 3|having a plurality and preferably three narrow rectangular slots oropenings 32 therein, with one slot located close to each end thereof andthe other in the center thereof. Integral with plate 3| is a plate 33extending upwardly therefrom at the ends thereof' and atv right anglesthereto. Each plate 33 has a pair of inverted key hole openings therein,which openings are the same as those in plate 23 which is in allrespects substantially the same as plate 33'. Integral with plate 3| isa rigid narrow and fiat plate 34 disposed at right angles thereto andextending the full length of plate 3|. Plate 34 is also integral withend plates 33. Extending upwardly from plate 34 and inwardly from plate33 is a narrow plate 35 integral with both of these plates.

The masldng rail 29, like the rail 20 of Figure 4', may also be composedof wood or any other desirable material. Rail 29 has an elongated narrowslot extending upwardly therein from the bottom face thereof toaccommodate plate 34 and a narrow slot extendingY inwardly from theouter ends thereof to accommodate plates 35;

As shown in Figure 5, the masking rail 29V is assembled with the rail 23by inserting the plates '34 and 35 in the elongated and side slots ofthe masking rail. In order to securely couple the rail 28 and mask 25,in order to prevent splitting of mask 29, in order to prevent platel 3|from becoming distorted and its angular position with respect to plate34 from being varied and for other obvious reasons, the supports 3|! areprovided. Each support may be a narrow and rigid angle or L. The longarm of each L 33' is .inserted upwardly through slots 32- and the shortarm thereof bears flatwiseV against the lower face of plate 3| to forcethe upper` face of plate 3| tightly against lower face of mask 23;v Thedimensions of each slot 32 are just slightly greater than thecorresponding dimensions of Ls 30 so the long arm of L 39 may bereadilyr inserted therethrough and when the Ls' are'secured to the mask29 by means of wood screws 36 passing through openings therein, the longarm of the Ls are located adjacent the inner face of mask 29 and mask 29is rigidly connected to rail assembly 23. The length of the long arm ofthe L and the length of the short arm thereof are respectively less thanthe width of the mask 29 and width of plate 3|. By this particulardesign the flat upper sides of the Ls 30 bear against the flatundersides of plate 3| in at least three places to so couple the mask 29and rail 28 that the assembly will be rugged and free from any type offailure under normal usage over an indenite period of time. Thisassembly may be mounted on and demounted from the bed posts I9 in themanner heretofore described with reference to the rail 20.

Although the invention has been described in detail, it is not to belimited to the exact construction shown because it is subject tomodifications.

I claim:

l. A unitary assembly comprising a rigid rail vcomprising a pair ofcouplers, each coupler having a plurality of slots therein, an elongatedVertical plate extending between and secured to said couplers, anelongated horizontal plate having a plurality of openings therein andsecured to said vertical plate and disposed at substantially rightangles thereto, a mask rail having a slot in the lower end thereof, saidvertical plate located in said slot and means secured to said mask railand extending through said openings, said means bearing against thelower face of said horizontal plate and the inner face of said maskrail.

2. A unitary assembly comprising a rigid rail comprising a pair ofcouplers, each coupler having a plurality of slots therein, an elongatedvertical plate extending between and secured to said couplers, anelongated horizontal plate secured to said first plate and disposed atsubstantially right angles thereto, a mask rail having a slot in thelower edge thereof, said rst plate located in said slot, said secondplate having a plurality of spaced openings therein, a plurality ofrigid angles, one of the arms of each of said angles extending througheach of said openings and disposed adjacent the" inner surface of saidmask rail and secured thereto, the other arm of each of said anglesbearing against the lower face of said second plate.

3. A unitary assembly comprising a single element rigid rail comprisinga pair of couplers, an elongated vertical plate integral with saidcouplers', an elongated horizontal plate integral with said verticalplate and disposed at substantially right angles thereto, a narrow plateextending upwardly from said vertical plate and inwardly from each'coupler, said horizontal plate having a plurality of slots therein atplaces close to the juncture between said two plates and spaced alongthe length of said horizontal plate, a wooden rail having a slot in itslower edge, said vertical plate disposed in'said slot, a

plurality of' rigid angle members for supportingl said horizontal plateat places along the length thereof, one arm of each of said anglemembers extending through each ofV said slots, disposed adjacent theinner .tace of said rail and secured to said wooden rail, the other armof each of said angle members bearing against the bottomv of saidhorizontal plate. VINCENT GIUSEFFI.

